An Overview Of Our Solution
Gokova Bay No Fishing Zones, First in Fisheries Management in Turkey
Who is this solution impacting?
Ecosystem
Océans/Côtes
Community Type
Rural
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: L'Europe
Problem
Describe the problem
Fisheries of Gökova Bay composed of gillnetters, long liners, purse seiners & anglers. Insufficient regulations have already had negative impacts on important target species, habitats and fishing communities. Small scale fisheries suffer most as their target species catch amounts like grouper dropped more than 40%. Research has shown that invasive Lessepsian fish species are responsible for serious ecosystem changes. Removal of apex predators due from overfishing has accelerated the invasive herbivores as well as climate change. Establishment of “No Take Fishing Zones†was the only essential solution with proper connectivity and size. Meetings and awareness studies with fisheries communities took almost a year ending with full consensus on NTFZs and their locations.
Biodiversity Impact
First of all, No Take Fishing Zones(NTFZ) is a proven method for sustainable fisheries. All the fishing community members agree that overfishing exist with ever increasing fishing effort and there is no place for the stocks to hide and recover. Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agriculture's Fisheries Department accepted the NTFZs ideas and possible benefits they will bring. NTFZs will help restoring depleted fish stocks in certain time period and enhance egg and larval survival. Increasing fish populations will spill over and will be continuous sources of fish for fishing communities. Currently, there are no other fishery management tools in the area and longline and gillnet is allowed throughout the year. NTFZs are best strategy for sustainable fisheries in Gökova Bay until more detailed policies will be developed. Reducing fishing stress on fish species will benefit ecosystem as food chain balances will restore as well. In addition, bringing back top predators like grouper and dentex will deter and control invasive herbivore fish population. There is no predation pressure on Siganids and no competitive species either. NTFZs will be the most important tool on management of climate change effect and invasive species in the area.
Solution
Within the lengthy coastline of G??kova Bay is found an abundant, highly diverse and globally significant biodiversity endowment including the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of Europeƒ??s most endangered species, and the only known place for Sandbar Shark (Carcharinus plumbeus) breeding in the Mediterranena as well as rich marine fauna of 34 protected species. For instance, Posidonia oceanica covers 7 km?ý in the area. Important breeding and nursery grounds dispersed along coves have dense eggs and larvae observed. NTFZs include major feeding habitats of Mediterranean monk seals and breeding cove of Sandbar sharks. In recent years many juveniles were caught in gillnets. All the NTFZs are larval and nursery grounds with different habitat types included. Pina nobilis, one of the protected species has extensive distribution in NTFZs. Illegal fishing activities are the most serious threat for biodiversity and local fishing community reports any kind of illegal activity to coast guard officials. In addition to NTFZs, new fishing regulations about Purseiners and trawler were put in to practice which will protect pelagic and demersal species further beyond the NTFZs. // There are six different NTFZs altogether covers 2460 hectares in Gokova Bay. Research has shown that all six areas are very important larval and nursery grounds for juveniles. Small clear rivers are running into each NTZFs makes them important larval grounds. The type of habitats covers various important protected species and the locations that the areas selected based on the criteria of connectivity. Starting from the east corner of the bay, each NTFZs are on the route to open sea, excellent chance for adults and juveniles for coming in and going out with upmost chance of avoiding fishing pressure. Some very important Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) feeding habitats and the only breeding cove known for Sand bar sharks (Carcharinus plumbeus) were covered in one of the NTFZs. That same zone also harbors a rehabilitation center for Mediterranean monk seals.
Replicability
How many years has your solution been applied? 1 year // Have others reproduced your solution elsewhere? Yes // Underwater Research Society(SAD) has long been contact with fishing community in the Gökova Bay being aware the problems of fisheries in an ecological and socio-economic way. The crucial step was convincing the fishing community that NTFZs will be the solution. With support from UNDP GEF Small Grants Program, several meetings were held with all stake holders including Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture's Fisheries Department, Coast Guard, governor, academicians from several universities and local NGOs. At the end nobody was happy with the current fisheries management and stocks, SAD proposed NTFZs with some other supportive fisheries regulation. Ongoing meetings with fisheries cooperatives were fruitful which ended up with six different NTFZs as UWRS-SAD proposed. During the negotiations some areas got smaller other got bigger and parties agreed on current status in terms of size and locations. Final meetings were held in Ankara in Ministry of Environment with the participation of all related government bodies, fisheries academicians, presidents of fisheries cooperatives and UNDP officials. Parties agreed on final terms with written statements in March 2010 and the areas officially declared in 10 July 2010.
Human Well Being and Livelihood Impact
Three fishing cooperative with 140 registered and 20 unregistered fishermen (some of them fisherwomen unique to Turkey this region only) and their families solely depend on fishing. Landing statistics reveals the sharp decline on economic target species. Any future management plan and improvement on the fish stocks by means of NTFZs and new regulations on industrial fishing in the area we suggested, they will still have fish for their wellbeing. Fish is an expensive food and sustainability will keep this small scale fishing community on their traditional lifestyle. The Gökova Bay is one of the most pristine spots for tourism. In the summer season hundreds of thousands people visit the bay and coastline. Scuba diving is a growing industry. NTFZs which are easy to reach by land or by boat will bring big potential to diving tourism in the bay. Similar examples in Spain like Medes and Columbretes, the number of divers coming to NTFZs exponentially increased. This will benefit many local people. Divers already reported increase in fish numbers in NTFZs. // The major concern among fisheries and the local community was the enforcement in NTFZs. Coast Guard allocated a new 30 meters 40 Mph speed fast boat for patrolling in the area. The Coast Guard and the Ministry of Environment are discussing setting up a long range radar system for better monitoring in the future. The local fishing community ensures that they will help on the enforcement. There were some cases where fishing activities were reported in NTFZs by third parties who were not aware that the area has been closed for fishing. UWRS-SAD is working on public awareness, management and scientific monitoring of the NTFZs. A ranger system that employs local community would seem as the best management on governance of the Marine Protected Areas in Gökova Bay. The new regulations initiated by UWRS-SAD on excluding industrial fishing fleets out of the bay that come from other areas satisfied the local community. UWRS-SAD is in close contact with Coast Guard for ongoing problems that may arise. Our solution is going to be reproduced by --- Harun Güçlüsoy, Project Manager, UNDP, Strengthening the System of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas of Turkey, harun.guclusoy@undp.org